On perturbative \(PSU(n)\) invariants of rational homology 3-spheres (Q1568691)

Power series invariants of rational homology \(3\)-spheres are extracted from the quantum PSU\((n)\) invariants. These series can be regarded as perturbative invariants corresponding to the trivial connection in Witten integral. The \(n=2\) case was obtained by \textit{T. Ohtsuki} [Invent. Math. 123, No. 2, 241-257 (1996; Zbl 0855.57016)]. The quantum PSU\((n)\)-invariant is a refined version of the Witten-Reshetikhin-Turaev invariant, which is based on the root lattice rather than on the weight lattice. This invariant at a root of unity \(q\) of prime order \(r\) has an important integrality property which was established by \textit{T. Takata} and \textit{Y. Yokota} [J. Knot Theory Ramifications 8, No.4, 521-532 (1999; Zbl 0933.57019)] and by \textit{G. Masbaum} and \textit{H. Wenzl} [J. Reine Angew. Math. 505, 209-235 (1998; Zbl 0919.57010)]. In this paper the author proves that for a rational homology \(3\)-sphere \(M\) there exists a power series \(\tau^{\text{PSU}(n)}(M)= \sum_{l=0}^\infty c_l(M)x^l \), whose first coefficients modulo a (big enough) \(r\) are obtained by expanding the \(\text{PSU}(n)\) quantum invariant at \(q=1+x\). Together with the integrality, a key point in the construction is a polynomial property of the expansion at \(q=1+x\) of the SU\((n)\) link invariant, which is established by using the Kontsevich integral and weight systems.